Novak ally Sherwood says he lied to cops about slaying

Tuesday

Sep 10, 2013 at 2:00 AMSep 10, 2013 at 8:43 AM

MONTICELLO — Scott Sherwood testified Monday that he was petrified when his paramedic partner Paul Novak returned to his SUV on Dec. 13, 2008, moments after Sherwood says Novak killed his wife and set the house in Lava on fire.

Victor Whitman

MONTICELLO — Scott Sherwood testified Monday that he was petrified when his paramedic partner Paul Novak returned to his SUV on Dec. 13, 2008, moments after Sherwood says Novak killed his wife and set the house in Lava on fire.

Sherwood said he was too scared to drive off because he realized he was sitting next to a murderer. Novak made him wait to make sure that the fire took, he said.

Novak is on trial in Sullivan County Court on charges of first-degree murder and other crimes, accused of strangling his estranged wife, Catherine, and burning down the home to gain financially and cover up the crime.

Sherwood, who was then Novak's partner at Jamaica Hospital, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to avoid a trial on second-degree murder charges. He has admitted to knowing about Novak's plan about a week prior and driving Novak from Long Island to Sullivan County on the night of the killing.

Sherwood described again the 138-mile drive from Novak's rented Glen Cove apartment to the far western Sullivan hamlet. He said Novak had him park behind a barn, took off his coat and put on paper surgical scrubs. He returned about 30-40 minutes later and announced, "It's done." Sherwood said Novak was "flush-faced" and appeared out of breath. He was "emotionally cold." He took off scrubs and gloves, stuffing everything into a Walmart bag.

Novak got into the passenger's seat and the two men waited together for a few minutes. Novak had to go back and restart the fire.

"Did you have any questions?" asked Novak's lawyer, Gary Greenwald.

"No."

"A person has just been killed and you don't have any questions?" Greenwald asked.

"No."

Greenwald suggested that Sherwood was coached by the District Attorney's Office, so his story would match that of the prosecution's other star witness, Michelle LaFrance. Sherwood acknowledged that he did hold two lengthy meetings with the DA after he signed a plea cooperation agreement, but denied he was told what to say.

Sherwood said Novak gave him about $1,000 to fix his Blazer about a year after the fire. Sherwood couldn't remember how much Novak had paid him when he was questioned by state police last September.

Sherwood also admitted he gave some false information to state police investigators during the interrogation on Sept. 27, 2012, the night he was taken in uniform from Queens after a 16-hour shift and questioned at the Haverstraw barracks.

Sherwood initially told the two investigators he arrived at Novak's Glen Cove apartment that night, believing he was going upstate to help move furniture out of Catherine's house. He has since testified that he knew of Novak's plot and agreed to help him because he sympathized with Novak's worsening divorce scenario.

"Maybe I was sheltering myself to lessen my situation and involvement and ... I was trying to recollect," Sherwood said.

"What were you trying to shelter," Greenwald asked.

"To lessen the blow of the charges against me."

Sherwood also never mentioned to state police that Novak went back to the house a second time to restart the fire. He said he only remembered that detail after he was in jail.

Asked by Greenwald why he didn't press Novak to stop the murder on the drive up, Sherwood replied: "Once Paul gets something in his head, there is no turning back."